The frugal life of Prince Charles

Richard Kay

Last updated at 00:00 30 June 2003

What the palace accounts reveal, and what they miss out, about the The frugal life of SINCE PRINCE CHARLES'S campaign to convince the public that he does not lead an extravagant lifestyle looks doomed.

In releasing a booklet to show much he spends on his official duties, he reveals how much he spends on himself.

He underlines the extent of his life of privilege with its retinue of butlers, valets, grooms, gardeners and chefs.

But, frankly, after the recent battering his reputation has suffered, he did not have much choice.

Following the collapse of royal butler Paul Burrell's theft trial last year, a graphic portrait of an indulgent, feudal Prince of Wales emerged.

What shocked the public was not just the trading of royal gifts for cash, but the way his every comfort was provided for by an extensive and attentive staff.

Revelations that he had a servant, Michael Fawcett, to load his toothbrush just the way he likes it and, on one occasion, to hold a urine specimen jar for him, were hugely damaging.

Public attitudes were shaped by Sir Michael Peat's internal palace report which revealed so much of the prince's rather shabby private universe, the pocket-lining and black economy enjoyed by his closest domestic staff.

Last month the palace issued a list of his charities and patronages. By publishing details of his finances, it is also trying to explain his role in life.

That it feels the need to do so, considering Charles has been Prince of Wales for almost 35 years, seems astonishing.

However, after a private briefing from St James's officials, it is clear that they are stung not by questions over Charles's relevance to public life, but by questions over his cost.

One senior figure said: 'It irks me when people say he is extravagant. He is not extravagant in the slightest. If a rich man makes lots of money he gets race horses, buys a flashy car, a yacht and a villa.

BUYS into a football club and he has a string of young and delightful girls.

The Prince of Wales doesn't have any of these things. He owns only one car, an Aston Martin, and it's very old.

He doesn't even own a house.' All very well, but he does have access to a fleet of leased cars and the use of three homes: Highgrove in Gloucestershire, Birkhall in Scotland and Clarence House in London. The Royal Collection can provide him with access to some of the greatest masterpieces ever painted and he has the use of the Royal Squadron planes and helicopters.

For most of his 54 years he enjoyed a private yacht for his holidays. Since Britannia was pensioned off, he has holidayed variously on a Greek tycoon's boat and in villas provided by friends.

Last summer, for example, he flew by 'borrowed' private jet to Italy where he and Camilla Parker Bowles were guests in a villa in Tuscany provided by Lord and Lady Cavendish.

The cars he does not own include an armour-plated Bentley Turbo, an Audi A8 Quattro plus a VW Golf for William. Harry has an Audi, and for Mrs Parker Bowles there is another Audi plus a Land Rover.

His polo ponies of which he is thought to have at least 16 are stabled by the Sultan of Brunei in Oxfordshire and his hunting horses are looked after by his friend Lord Daresbury. Although he originally bought Highgrove from the Macmillan family in 1980 it was bought back from him by the Duchy from whom he now rents it.

The palace booklet on how he spends his money makes no mention of his private investments mainly from family settlements, some dating back many years which provide an income of between Pounds 150,000 and Pounds 250,000 a year.

It shows, however, that he receives an income of almost Pounds 10million from the Duchy of Cornwall estates. The greater part, Pounds 5.6million, is spent on official duties and charitable activities.

Nevertheless, according to the official figures, he is still left with Pounds 4.2million from his Duchy income.

A large part of this is paid in tax but it almost certainly leaves him at least Pounds 2million to spend each year on himself, Prince William, Prince Harry and, of course, Mrs Parker Bowles. From it he also has to pay for the upkeep of Highgrove and Birkhall.

Officials will not reveal precisely how much he spends or what he spends it on. But they do acknowledge probably his two costliest private passions polo and the Highgrove garden.

In fact they say the prince believes his polo should fall under business expenses because these days he plays it only to raise money for charity around Pounds 800,000 a year.

the Burrell trial the number of people working for Charles has actually increased. Of the 91 fulltime-staff on the St James's Palace payroll, 74 support him in his public role and only 17 are his private domestic servants.

There are a further six part-time employees. 'The Prince of Wales runs a huge charitable empire and because he works staggeringly hard, the people who work for him work staggeringly hard too,' said a senior household figure.

So who are the people who work for him and what do they do?

According to the palace, his private staff includes grooms, valets, gardeners, estate workers and a chef.

'They polish his shoes, cook his breakfast and look after his garden,' an aide helpfully explained.

On the official side his office is headed by private secretary Sir Michael Peat and the prince can call on four other assistant private secretaries, a treasurer, a financial controller, a personnel chief and an archivist.

There is also his seven- strong press office, an equerry on attachment from the Navy, receptionists, orderlies to maintain office equipment and a correspondence department which deals with the 1,000 letters a week sent to Charles.

To support his official engagements and entertaining, the prince employs two butlers, three chefs, two chauffeurs, one valet, five housekeepers and managers, and eight gardeners. In all 26 domestic staff run his official entertaining.

'Most of these staff are required on duty seven days a week, including most evenings, with a week on/week off rota worked,' says the booklet.

Each year the prince receives around 11,000 guests at royal palaces and residences. Last year he hosted 100 receptions, seminars, lunches and dinners.

Royal sensitivity over money and the cost of the monarchy has been apparent for some time, following criticism from MPs over the near rent-free status of some minor royal figures at Kensington Palace.

Only last week Buckingham Palace stoked up controversy with an extraordinary intervention over the refurbishment of private rooms for Mrs Parker Bowles at Clarence House.

Charles is due to move into his

grandmother's former London home in September after an extensive refit costing the taxpayer Pounds 4.4million. But officials said the Queen would not use public money to pay for the decoration of Camilla's bedroom and bathroom.

Instead the Prince must meet it from his own budget of Pounds 1.7million he is spending on Clarence House. Now his staff have defended the cost of the move and Camilla's role. 'There is no difference between Mrs Parker Bowles's situation in Clarence House and York House (the Prince's current accommodation at St James's Palace),' said a senior aide.

' She sometimes comes to stay in York House and she will sometimes come to stay in Clarence House.' The aide said the move was necessary because Charles had no adequate entertaining space at St James's.

'The drawing room can only fit in seven people and when he receives presidents, kings and sultans the hallway is so narrow his face is only two inches away from his guests.' new accounts show that the cost of legal fees, during a year which included the aborted Burrell trial and the Peat investigation-into gifts, has left the prince with a bill of Pounds 614,000.

Income rose by 27 per cent last year partly because of a change in accounting procedures but also because the Duchy moved its equity portfolio into gilts, bonds and cash.

According to the palace, the prince carries out 500 engagements a year and is patron of more than 350 charities. Last year he travelled more than 33,000 miles on his duties at home and abroad.

He writes 2,500 letters a year. Last year he held more than 150 meetings and eight investitures, and helped raise over Pounds 70million for the 14 main charities which he founded or with which he is most closely involved. Each year 20,000 visitors go round the garden at Highgrove.